1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to communication networks and, in particular, to a system and method for provisioning network access devices based on control settings received from remote locations.
2. Related Art
In many communication environments, data from various communication equipment (e.g., personal computers, telephones, fax machines, a local area network, etc.) located at a customer's premises may be communicated over a common network connection, sometimes referred to as a “subscriber line.” In such environments, a network access device often terminates the subscriber line and operates as an interface between the subscriber line and the customer's communication equipment.
During operation, the network access device receives data from the customer's communication equipment and transmits the data to a wide area network (WAN) over the subscriber line. The network access device often utilizes various multiplexing techniques, such as time division multiplexing or frequency division multiplexing, for example, to enable the network access device to concurrently communicate data from various sources.
The network access device also receives multiplexed data from the subscriber line. This data is normally destined for one or more communication devices included in the communication equipment residing at the customer's premises. The network access device demultiplexes the data received from the subscriber line and then provides the data to the appropriate destination device. Note that, in communicating data between the subscriber line and the customer's communication equipment, the network access device may utilize various communication and networking protocols, such as frame relay or Internet Protocol (IP), for example.
Moreover, different network access devices servicing different customers are often configured differently based on the individual needs of the corresponding customer and the types of communication services being provided to the corresponding customer. For example, a network access device may be configured differently depending on the number and the types of communication devices to be serviced by the network access device. Furthermore, the transmission speed of a network access device may be set based on communication limitations of the communication equipment at the customer's premises, limitations of the subscriber line, and/or bandwidth contracted for by the customer. Indeed, there are a variety of reasons why different network access devices are configured differently. Thus, when installing a network access device, a network service provider often manipulates the configuration of the network access device or, in other words, provisions the network access device such that the configuration of the network access device is tailored to the specific needs or desires of the customer.
In this regard, to install a network access device, a trained technician capable of appropriately provisioning the network access device typically travels to a customer's premises. The technician then connects the network access device to a subscriber line and provisions the network access device according to the needs of the customer, the services contracted for by the customer, the capabilities of the subscriber line, and/or the needs of the service provider to monitor and service the network access device.
The provisioning process usually entails the setting of control values or settings within the network access device. For example, based on tests performed by the technician, the technician may determine an optimal line speed for the network access device, and/or the customer may have specifically contracted for a specific WAN bandwidth for the network access device. Based on the foregoing, the technician may then set, in a control register, a value indicative of an operational line speed or bandwidth for the network access device. During operation, the network access device may utilize this value in order to establish the communication speed or bandwidth of the network access device. Note that various other techniques for provisioning the network access device may be employed by the technician in other examples. Moreover, techniques for provisioning network access devices are generally well-known and will not be described in significant detail herein.
Unfortunately, the costs associated with sending a trained technician to each customer's site in order to provision network access devices can be quite expensive to a network service provider. Furthermore, if a network access device is not provisioned correctly, re-provisioning costs, in many instances, are prohibitive. In this highly competitive space, network service providers are currently searching for various techniques to help reduce provisioning and re-provisioning expenses.